Improvement in door-step seats



S. M. MARSHALL.

Door-Step Seats.

Patented May 26,1874.

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IMPROVEMENT IN DOOR-STEP SEATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,411, dated May 26,18M application filed November 12, 1873.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SIMEQN M. MARsHALL, ofBoston, in the county of Sutfolk and'State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improved Seat or Stool Board, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of this invention is to provide a light, portable, andconveniently-handled seat or stool board for use especially on theentrance-steps of dwelling-houses. The invention consists of a seat orstool board of suitable size, which is constructed with a rim or flange,so as slightly to raise it from the housestep on which it is placed, andto allow the circulation of air between it and the step; and,furthermore, with india-rubber or other equivalent bearing-faces on saidrim, between it and the step, to hold the board against accidental oreasy slip upon the step, and combining therewith one or more seat-boardsadapted, to slide and lie within the said frame, and thus adapted forbeing most conveniently handled and stowed or laid away.

In the accompanying plate of drawings my improved seat or stool board isillustrated,

' Figure 1 being a central longitudinal vertical section of aseat orstool board, embracing in its construction both features of theinvention, and showing the several seat-boards as closed or folded; Fig.2, a transverse section in plane of 00 m, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a similarsection to Fig. 1, but with the several seat-boards extended or openedfor use Fig. 4, a plan View of Fig. 3.

A in the drawings represents my improved seat or stool board. Thisseat-board consists of a board or seat, a, surrounded or bordered by aprojecting flange or rim, 1), which, when the seat is used, makes thesupport therefor, and holds it slightly above the surface of thedoor-step. 0, rubber bands or strips applied and fastened to the two endflanges of the seat-board. These rubber bands 0 form the contaotsurfaceof the flange b with the doorstep, and from the well-known nature ofrubber obviously they prevent the accidental or easy slipping of theseat upon the step when the seat is occupied, and, in addition, theygive elasticity and spring to the seat, and as they are applied only totwo opposite ends the flange b between such ends is above the step, thusleaving openings or spaces for the free circulation of air under theseat-board, and a means for the escape of the dampness or moisturearising from the door-step. The seat-board may be upholstered in anysuitable manner, or it may be an open or close woven cane-seat, or itmay be a perforated or a closed board, or it may be of any other of theordinary forms of seats. B and 0 represent two seat-boards substantiallyof the same construction as the seat-board A. The seatboard A receivesthe seat-board B at its end D and the seat-board C at its opposite endE, and in width the two seat-boards B and 0 correspond substantially tothe width inside of the two side portions f of the flange b to the boardA, so that they can freely pass from end to end of the board A-the oneboard, 13, in guide grooves or ways 9 of the flange I) just below theseat-board A, and the other board, 0, in similar guide grooves or ways hof the flange I) just below the seatboard B.

The seat-boards B and 0, when run under or into the seat-board A, asabove described, are entirely inclo'sed by'the flange b of such board A,and when drawn out they make extensions of the seat-board A, and thusgive three seats in one line. (See Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.)

The two seat-boards B and G, in either of their movements above stated,are limited by the length of their respective guide-grooves g and h andtheir respective projecting pieces I, and thus their accidentaldetachment from the seatboard A, in either instance, is prevented.

WVhen the seat-boards B and C are drawn out they are supportedhorizontally at their outer end by their flange or rim m, and at theirinner end by the lower wall a of the opening 0 in that end flange b ofseat-board A out of which they are drawn.

The seat A, or combined seats A, B, and O, are especially and onlyintended for use on the door-steps of residences, and the sole orsubstantial object of this invention is to give protection to health byshielding the person when sitting from direct contact with thedoor-step; and this being the case, the support of the seat as to heightis only to be suflicient to raise the seat above contact with thedoor-step the full distance as to height for the ease and convenientdisposition of the lower limbs or legs of the occupant, being secured,as usual, by placing the feet at a rest upon the tread of the door-stepnext below.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- A seat or stool, A, having the seat a, rim

or flange 1), and rubber strips 0, in combination with the sliding seatB or 0, adapted to guidegrooves in the frame A, all constructedsubstantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

- SIMEON M. MARSHALL.

WVitnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, B. S. BRYANT.

